The present invention relates to latch assemblies; specifically to a latch assembly comprising a latch mechanism and housing for use with containers, especially coolers, that can be opened or closed with a lid.
In virtually every type of container, there exists some sort of securing device which operates to keep the contents of the container shielded from the environment. Such device is desirable for many reasons, such as to prevent the contents (i.e., food) of the container from being eaten by insects or to keep the contents of the container warm.
Each type of securing device for opening and sealing a container is designed based on the characteristics which are desirable for that container. In containers such as coolers which are useful for picnics or outdoor barbecues, it is desirable for the cooler lid to be secured to the body of the cooler to keep the contents in the cooler if the cooler gets knocked over. Yet, it is also desirable for the cooler lid to be easy to open and close without having to change the position of the device securing the lid to the body of the cooler. In other words, there is desired an alternative way to open and close the lid of the cooler other than having to move the securing device itself (i.e., by being releasably secured). In particular, it is desirable that the cooler lid can be opened (even when secured) such as by a child accidentally enclosed within the cooler without having to change the position of the securing device.
As known in the art, typical coolers lack such devices which can serve both purposes. For example, in one type of cooler, there is a cooler lid which is designed to fit snugly into the body of the cooler. When the cooler lid is snugly fit, the contents of the cooler are shielded from the sun and the effects of weather. However, when the cooler is knocked over, the momentum and impact with the ground often cause the cooler lid to open and the contents of the cooler to be spilled out.
In other types of coolers, there exists a releasing latch assembly such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,904,007, which is incorporated herein by reference. As shown in FIG. 4 of that patent, there is a latch having a keeper plate (36), and the latch is rotated until the keeper plate (36) is directly above the foot portion (2) of the spring latch (41) connected to the handle of the cooler lid. To secure the cooler lid to the body of the cooler, the handle of the latch is then turned to lower the keeper plate (36) so that the keeper plate (36) will partially overlap and rest on foot portion (2) of the spring latch (41) as illustrated in FIG. 5 of that patent. As shown in FIG. 6 of the aforementioned patent, the flexibility of spring latch (41) allows the cooler lid to be opened by exertion of an upward force without changing the position of the latch. However, as shown in FIG. 8 of the aforementioned patent, this latch assembly is designed to prevent the cooler lid from being fully closed and relatched until the latch handle is rotated so that the keeper plate (36) is moved out of its current position.
In an exemplary embodiment, the present invention allows a cooler lid to be secured to the cooler to keep the contents in the cooler while also allowing the cooler lid to be opened and closed without having to change the position of the latch mechanism which secures the cooler lid to the body of the cooler. There is provided a latch assembly comprising a latch mechanism and a latch housing. The latch mechanism is connected to the body of the cooler and includes a latch hook having a fitting end adapted for engagement with the latch housing.
The latch housing is connected to the cooler lid and comprises a receptacle member and a clip which applies pressure to the receptacle member. The latch housing is uniquely designed to engage the fitting end of the latch hook and to automatically align the latch hook as it is rotated into the latch housing. The latch housing may also be part of the cooler lid handle used for gripping the cooler lid when opening or closing the lid.
In the exemplary embodiment, the latch hook and latch housing are designed so that the cooler lid can be secured to the cooler body by rotating the latch hook into the latch housing or by applying sufficient downward force on the cooler lid such that the latch hook will slip into the latch housing.
In the exemplary embodiment, the latch hook and latch housing are designed so that the cooler lid can be released from the cooler body by rotating the latch hook out of the latch housing or by applying sufficient upward force on the cooler lid such that the latch hook will slip out of the latch housing.